Bulgarian air force

A large wildfire is raging between the villages of Rogozinovo, Dositeevo, Kolarovo and Balgarin in the southern Bulgarian municipality of Harmanli on Sunday.

Ten firefighter crews, five teams of foresters and many volunteers are trying to extinguish the fire which has engulfed vineyards, orchards, pastures, bushes and a pine forest.

The acquisition of nine surplus F-16 figher jets modernised by Portugal is an option, which Bulgaria is analysing as part of plans to replace its ageing fleet of Soviet-made MiG-29s, according to janes.com

Bulgaria's Parliament on Wednesday gave the green light to government plans to acquire new multirole warplanes as well as two multi-purpose patrol ships.

Eight F-15 C/D fighter jets from the 104th Fighter Wing of the Massachusetts Air National Guard were relocated on Thursday to Bulgaria's Graf Ignatievo Air Base.

The jets were relocated for their participation in the joint Bulgarian-US air training "Thracian Eagle - 2016", the press service of the Bulgarian defence ministry informs.

Cooperation in the areas of defence and security between Bulgaria and Poland has been on the agenda of Monday's talks in Sofia between Prime Minister Boyko Borisov and Polish President Andrzej Duda, the government press office has announced.

The Bulgarian defence ministry informed on Friday that it has launched a public tender for the supply of ten engines for MiG-29 fighter jets.

The engines can be either new or repaired ones and are needed to extend the operational capacity of five fighter jets, daily Sega informs.

A project to acquire two multi-purpose patrol ships with modular design for the Bulgarian Naval Force will cost BGN 820 M (EUR 419 M), the country's Defence Minister Nikolay Nenchev has said.

Bulgaria's Defence Council has approved the investment project for acquiring new fighter jets for the country's Air Force, public broadcaster BNR reported on Monday.

The decision was taken by the consultative body within the Defence Ministry last week, according to BNR.

The changes to Defence and Armed Forces Act approved on Friday make Bulgaria "a more reliable NATO ally", Defence Minister Nikolay Nenchev has said, referring to the Parliament's approval of participation of allied aircraft in joint air policing missions.

Bulgaria's Defence Council has nominated Lieutenant General Constantin Popov as new Chief of Defence, replacing Vice Admiral Rumen Nikolov.